NAVYPEDIA

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
DL2, 6.1968- DDG35	Mitscher	313	Bath Iron Wks	3.10.1949	26.1.1952	15.5.1953	stricken 6.1978
DL3, 9.1969- DDG36	John S. McCain	314	Bath Iron Wks	24.10.1949	12.7.1952	12.10.1953	stricken 4.1978
DL4	Willis A. Lee	1620	Bethlehem, Quincy	1.11.1949	26.1.1952	28.9.1954	stricken 5.1972
DL5	Wilkinson	1621	Bethlehem, Quincy	1.2.1950	23.4.1952	29.7.1954	stricken 5.1974

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	3642
Displacement full, t	4855
Length, m	145.1 wl 149.4 oa
Breadth, m	14.5
Draught, m	4.50
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets geared steam turbines, 4 Foster Wheeler boilers
Power, h. p.	80000
Max speed, kts	36.5
Fuel, t	oil 740
Endurance, nm(kts)	4500 (20)
Armament	2 x 1 - 127/54 Mk 42, 2 x 2 - 76/50 Mk 33, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 4 - 533 TT, 2 x 1 - 324 Mk 108 Weapon Alfa ASWRL, 1 DCR
Electronic equipment	DL2, 3: SPS-6, SPS-8A, SPS-10, 2x Mk 25, 2x Mk 35 radars, QHB, SQG-1 sonars, WLR-1, WLR-3, ULQ-6 ECM suites DL4, 5: SPS-6, SPS-8A, SPS-4, 2x Mk 25, 2x Mk 35 radars, QHB, SQG-1 sonars, WLR-1, WLR-3, ULQ-6 ECM suites
Complement	350

Project history

These four ships, laid down as DD927-930, were originally designated as destroyers, then frigates, in a new category which persisted until 1975. They owed their large size to the requirement for high speed, deeply loaded, in a seaway, and were originally designed in 1944-46 with conventional destroyer batteries, the only major innovation being the 127mm/54 guns in a twin semi-automatic version. However, as the design developed it became clear that fast carrier escorts would require maximum anti-aircraft capability, including not only guns but also fighter-direction equipment (symbolized visually by the heavy stabilized SPS-8 height-finder). For a time, it appeared that the gun battery would consist entirely of the new 76mm/70 twin automatic anti-aircraft guns, which was considered more effective than the new rapid-fire 127mm/54 (itself firing faster than the earlier twin type), but the latter was retained at the personal insistence of Admiral Nimitz, at least partly in view of the inability of the lighter weapon to deal with submarines forced to the surface. In fact the large CIC and the heavy radar were even more important; as early as 1945 it was clear that carrier fighters, controlled by the carrier and by radar-pickets such as Mitschers, would be the primary air defence of the fast carrier task force. Anti-submarine capability was secondary, as the high speed of the task force would in itself guarantee almost complete immunity. For example, in the design of the propellers and of the hull itself, high speed (to keep up with the task force) took priority over silencing. The primary ASW weapon was to be a guided torpedo, fired from a fixed tubes, with a pair of rocket launchers (Weapon Alfa) as back-up.     High speed in a small ship meant a very compact machinery installation. All four were considered experimental, and gave considerable trouble in service, so that Mitscher and John S. McCain had to be reboilered. Indeed, engine trouble was sometimes given as the reason for the early retirement of the class. On trials, Mitscher made 34.84kts on 75,862shp at 4550t.  

Modernizations

mid-1950s, all: - QHB, SQG-1 sonars; + SQS-4 sonar

1957, all: - 2 x 2 - 76/50, 1 x 1 - 324 Mk 108 Weapon Alfa ASWRL, 1 DCR; + 2 x 2 - 76/70 Mk 37

1960, Mitscher, John S. McCain: - 1 x 2 - 76/70, SPS-6 radar, SQS-4 sonar; + helicopter deck and hangar, 1 DASH QH-50 helicopter, SPS-29 radar, SQS-23 sonar

1960, Willis A. Lee, Wilkinson: - 1 x 2 - 76/70, SPS-4, SPS-6 radars, SQS-4 sonar; + helicopter deck and hangar, 1 DASH QH-50 helicopter, SPS-10, SPS-29 radars, SQS-26 sonar

early 1960s, Willis A. Lee, Wilkinson: - 1 x 1 - 324 Mk 108 Weapon Alfa ASWRL

early 1960s, Mitscher: - 1 x 2 - 76/70

1968, Mitscher; 1969, John S. McCain: were converted to guided missile destroyers with armament consisted of 1 x 1 Tartar SAM (40 RIM-24), 1 x 8 ASROC ASuR (16 RUR-5), 2 x 1 - 127/54 Mk 42, 2 x 3 - 324 Mk 32 TT, SPS-37, SPS-48, SPS-10, 2x Mk 25, 2x SPG-51 radars, SQS-23 sonar, WLR-1, WLR-3, ULQ-6 ECM suites

Naval service

No significant events.